Qatar Airways announced on Thursday that it will resume flights to the Syrian capital Damascus after nearly 13 years, with three weekly flights set to begin on Tuesday.

The Qatari national carrier "is pleased to announce the resumption of three weekly flights to Damascus, Syria, from 7 January 2025," it said in a statement.

It hailed a "significant step in reconnecting the region," about a month after anti-regime forces toppled Syria's longtime dictator Bashar Assad, capping more than a decade of civil war.

"Qatar Airways is working closely with relevant authorities to ensure that all necessary safety, security and operational standards are met ahead of the relaunch," the airline said.

CEO Badr Mohammed Al-Meer said the company was "pleased to resume flights to Damascus, a destination of great historical and cultural importance."

A Qatari official told Agence France-Presse (AFP) last month that Doha had offered the new Syrian authorities help in resuming operations at Damascus airport.

Qatar was the second country, after Türkiye, to reopen its embassy in the Syrian capital following the overthrow of Assad on Dec. 8.

Doha was one of the main backers of the opposition that erupted after Assad crushed a peaceful uprising in 2011.

Unlike several of its neighbors, Qatar had remained a stern critic of Assad and did not renew ties with Syria despite its return to the Arab diplomatic fold last year.